Dogs have long ceased to be mere pets. Over centuries of living with humans, they have become very attached to us, and for many they have become close friends and real family members. In this article we share interesting facts about the human-dog bond.
Do dogs have the same emotions and feelings as humans?
Spoiler alert, no. Dogs are certainly complex creatures and sometimes seem to experience the same emotions as we do. Take, for example, the pitying “pie-in-the-sky eyebrows” for which the owner can even forgive chewed-up shoes.
Dogs do experience a wide range of feelings, but the range is no greater than that of any child by the age of two and a half. Although dogs do learn the range of emotions much faster than babies do.
What emotions are available to dogs?
Dogs can experience fear, joy, anger, even disgust and, of course, love. As for more complex emotions like pride or shame, scientists are still at odds. Most believe that this “level of complexity” is inaccessible to dogs. And the pet’s behavior when the owner scolds him – the tail flicked up, the sneezing, the ears pressed down – speaks of fear, not shame.
However, there are researchers who argue that pets can still have complex feelings. Researchers in California, Harris and Provost, studied the animals’ reactions to a potential “rival” in the fight for their owner’s attention – a toy in the form of a dog. The results showed that animals have a “primal” form of jealousy (like babies).
What do humans and dogs have in common?
Oxytocin is the hormone of trust and affection. It has long been known that talking to a dog improves mood not only for humans. Pets also experience an emotional boost: they, like people, have higher levels of oxytocin, which gives a feeling of happiness. Just pet or play with an animal for a while and the process has started.
Can a close human-dog bond harm a pet?
You can’t call it significant harm, but it is a fun fact. Researchers from Hungary found that the stronger the emotional bond between man and dog, the more often the dog “relaxes” and is less likely to strain its brain.
For example, it is known that the wolf is difficult to teach the command “sit”, but he can quickly figure out how to open the complex mechanism. Domestic dogs, on the contrary. To test this claim, the researchers asked dog owners to fill out a questionnaire to find out how strong the emotional connection was among the subjects.
Then the pets were asked to solve not the most difficult puzzle. It turned out that the stronger the bond between dog and owner, the harder it was for the animal to solve the problem. But when the owners came to the rescue and pointed with their finger to do it – all the test subjects coped with the first time. It turns out that dogs were “lazy” to think, knowing that the beloved person would definitely help.
Can a dog fall out of love with its owner?
No, especially if the owner is associated positive emotions with the owner. However, changes in the animal’s behavior toward humans are possible: fear, wariness, unwillingness to go for a walk, play – or even unreasonable aggression.
Remember, this has nothing to do with the dog getting back at you or resenting you (we’ve already said that pets can’t feel that way). It’s more likely that the sudden change in mood and behavior is due to his physical condition – and you should see your vet right away.